Prepping Your Home’s HVAC Equipment for Storms

Published on September 06, 2016

It feels like storm season is every season. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. As the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, snowstorms are upon the north. Most recently the rains caused devastation for our family in Louisiana. The safety of your family during hazardous storms should always take priority. But even while the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still want to be sure that your home and family are safe. See our recommendations for preparing your home’s heating and air conditioning equipment for storm season.

Secure Your Air Conditioner

Your outdoor air conditioning equipment should be installed on a concrete pad and properly attached to keep the air conditioner from being thrown in the air or washing away during a storm. If you live in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be critical to fasten your AC with hurricane straps to protect the equipment from high winds. Ask your air conditioning technician about fastening down your home’s air conditioner during your Precision Tune-up.

Stop the Surge

You can’t really avoid the surge that often comes during a storm, but you can protect your heating and air conditioning equipment from it. Get a high-quality surge protector where any sizable appliances, like a furnace, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically shut down your heating system if there’s a spike in the line voltage. This will help safeguard the electrical components in your HVAC equipment that the power surge could harm. Remember to never touch any electrical components, and request professional help if you are not familiar with using surge protectors properly.

Provide Cover

Your family and you need to find shelter first and foremost, but if time permits, shut off your heating and cooling system and cover the outdoor equipment with a tarp. Before turning your system back on after the storm, you must remove the tarp and remove any debris.

This, Too, Shall Pass

After the storm ends, be sure the system is safe before starting up your heating and air conditioning system. To get started, make sure there are no signs of damage and get rid of any debris from around the equipment. Try to examine and confirm there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. Call 305-440-1505 for an equipment inspection if it looks like there may have been any damage or flooding to the equipment. Once you’ve had the system inspected by a professional to ensure safe function, turn the HVAC system back on immediately to help dry the home and restrict mold from getting into the equipment or ductwork.

Service Experts Heating and Air Conditioning was founded
with the determination of providing
customers with the top of the line heating and cooling
practices in the industry. Since it started,
Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning in Miami has been dedicated to community, delivering
the first class HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) products and services in
the area. If you are interested in more information
about your area HVAC leaders, simply dial us at 305-440-1505 or schedule
an appointment with us through our website.